This document explains the rules of reported speech, including changes in tense, pronouns, and time/place words when converting direct speech to reported speech. It also covers the specifics of reporting questions and provides examples to illustrate these concepts. The document is educational in nature and is part of the Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition for B1 learners.

1. Unit 8 – reported speech

2. when we want to tell someone what
someone said. We usually use a reporting
verb (e.g. say, tell, ask, etc.) and then
change the tense of what was actually
said in direct speech.
Example:
direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,'
indirect speech: She said she loved the
Toy Story films.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1

3. We often have to report what
people have said. When we do
this, we need to consider
various things.
Let’s look at:
1. Tense change in reported speech.
2. Changing pronouns in reported speech.
3. Changes with time and place words.
4. Reported questions and word order. Tense changes…
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1

4. Tense changes in reported speech
In reported speech, we change the main verb one tense back in
the past!
example direct speech reported speech
She said she had an appointment that day. present simple past simple
Tom told me he was getting married the following June. present continuous past continuous
Jayne told Adam he could play out until 8pm. can could
Francesca said she would be home that night. will would
Diana told me she was going to visit her brother the following
day.
am/is/are going to was/were going to
Think of these changes as one
step back in time. Look at the
time line… will/can
present
simple
past
simple
past
perfect
would/could
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1

6. Time changes in reported speech
example direct speech reported speech
She said she had an appointment that day.
Tom told me he was getting married the following June.
Francesca said she would be home that night.
Diana told me she was going to visit her brother the following
day.
that day
the following June
that night
the following day
today
next June
tonight
tomorrow
Look at these examples you
saw earlier.
Look at the time and place words in
bold. Can you remember what these
words were in direct speech?
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1

7. Time changes in reported speech
direct speech reported speech
today that day
tomorrow the following/next day; the day after
next week the following week
tonight that night
next month the following month
next Saturday the following Saturday
We often need to change the time words when we report direct speech as we don’t know
exactly when the person was referring to when they made the statement.
Reporting
questions…
When the reporting verbs say and tell are in
the present (e.g. He says), the verb tenses
and time words when reported do not
change:
He says he will call us.
She says she has an appointment today.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1

8. Reporting questions
Where does Lewis
live?
Do you speak another
language?
What will you do? Is Marta going to come
tomorrow?
open question with a question word (wh- questions) closed yes/no questions with no question word
asked + (object) question word subject verb
He asked (me) where Lewis lived.
asked + (object) if/whether subject verb
He asked (me) if I spoke…
He asked me where
he lived.
He asked me what I
would do.
He asked me if I
spoke another
language.
He asked me if Marta
was going the following
day.
Notice how the word order here is
like a positive sentence. There is no
auxiliary verb (do/does).
The tenses and
time words change
in the same way as
the statements.
Let’s practise!
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1

9. Questions in reported speech
We use the normal order of words in
reported questions, i.e. the subject comes
before the verb, and it is not necessary to
use do or did.

10. 1. Sophie asked, “What time is the party tonight?”
2. Francine asked me, “Does Tom write books for a living?”
3. James said, “Mark is moving house next Friday.”
4. Robert said, “Tina can give you the book tomorrow.”
5. Leticia and John said, “We will tidy up.”
6. Larry asked, “What time is the flight leaving next week?”
Practice activities
Change the direct speech into reported speech.
Sophie asked (me) what time the party was that night.
Francine asked (me) if/whether Tom wrote books for a living.
James said (that) Mark was moving house the following Friday.
Robert said (that) Tina could give me/us the book the following day/the day after.
Leticia and John said (that) they would tidy up.
Larry asked (me) what time the flight was leaving the following week.
Copyright © 2018 by Pearson Education Gold Experience 2nd Edition B1